<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Masks Off At Midnight by KrysKrossZee</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27216718">Masks Off At Midnight</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/KrysKrossZee/pseuds/KrysKrossZee'>KrysKrossZee</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Quinzee's KCAWS 30 Days of Autumn [15]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Blind Date, Costume Parties &amp; Masquerades, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Flufftober, Hermione's Nook's Flufftober 2020, M/M, Masks, POV Alternating, POV Third Person</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 08:35:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,987</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27216718</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/KrysKrossZee/pseuds/KrysKrossZee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A desperate Percy asks his siblings to set him up on a blind date, but he finds that it just makes him even more miserable.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Luna Lovegood/Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood/Percy Weasley, Percy Weasley/Mystery Character</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Quinzee's KCAWS 30 Days of Autumn [15]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1953820</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>31 Days of Writing Challenge - Fall 2020, Hermione's Nook Flufftober 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A new multi chap, but one I'm going to quietly work on...</p><p>Prompts used-</p><p>Keep Calm and Write Something's 30 Days of Autumn: Masks</p><p>31 Days of Writing: A Rare Pair</p><p>Hermione's Nook Flufftober: Blind Date</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"What better place for a blind date than a masquerade ball?" There was a teasing tone to Ron's voice as he handed Percy his mask, one that Percy really didn't appreciate and it was making the older boy second guess asking Ron to set him up on a date in the first place. He had seen how happy being in a relationship had made Ron though, and he had decided that he wanted to be happy too.</p><p> </p><p>Ron had been far too happy about the whole situation, which wasn't even a reaction that he had expected. He had thought that it would actually be an annoyance for his brother to do something like this for him, but had been wrong.</p><p> </p><p>And now Ron was happily dressing him up as if he were a doll and about to send him on his merry way to meet a girl he knew nothing about.</p><p> </p><p>"How will I even know who I'm meeting?" He asked, an eyebrow raised ever-so-slightly as he moved to the mirror so that he could put his mask on and adjust it. He had no idea how this evening was even going to work, but he supposed that they would see.</p><p> </p><p>"She'll be wearing a yellow dress and a gold mask. Oh. And she's blonde." Ron told him as he put his own mask on. "I'll make sure you get to the right person." He added with a smile.</p><p> </p><p>Percy rolled his eyes but nodded. He deeply regretted agreeing to this all now, but it was too late to back out when there was someone actually waiting for him. He couldn't stand someone up no matter how much he didn't want to go. If the worst came to the worst then he could easily just call it an early night after meeting the girl.</p><p> </p><p>"Ready?" Ron asked after straightening his tie and turning to face Percy. The irritating smile on his lips was the the only part of his youngest brother's face that Percy could see.</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah, sure." Percy was anything but ready, but he figured he might as well get this over with.</p><p> </p><p>**</p><p> </p><p>"Ready?" Ginny asked her best friend with a smile. She knew that even if the blonde felt nervous, she would never confess to it; Luna wasn't usually one to show negative emotions after all, and while Ginny wouldn't have necessarily classed nerves as a negative emotion, she knew that Luna possibly would.</p><p> </p><p>"Sure." Luna nodded. Ginny was glad that she had managed to convince the blonde to swap her usual dirigible plum earrings for a pair of gold bells which gave a tinkling sound as she moved her head. It wasn't that Ginny didn't love the dirigible plums, because she did, she just didn't want Luna to be instantly recognisable. She wanted her brother to get a surprise when it came to midnight and they had to take off their masks.</p><p> </p><p>Ginny gave Luna a smile before she pushed the doors to the Great Hall open. She let out a surprised gasp when she was met with the most glorious sight. She didn't think that she had ever seen Hogwarts looking so beautiful, not even at the Yule Ball that had been over a decade ago now. Professor Flitwick had certainly outdone himself this time. The ceiling was filled with fairies of all different colours and above them was the clear night sky with all its stars. There were tables scattered around the room covered in silver and blue and the dance floor was silver and sparkling underneath the feet of those that were already dancing.</p><p> </p><p>Ginny let herself take it in for a moment before she looked around the room for her brothers. Ron had said that he would meet them at the punch bowl, but Ginny didn't actually know where that was. When she eventually found it, she took a hold of Luna's arm - the girl was already distracted by the pretty fairy lights - and lead her over.</p><p> </p><p>"Here's your date." She told Percy, who she had to admit looked very handsome that evening. She had told them both that there would be no formal introductions and the rules of the ball meant that they weren't even allowed to use names anyway so she just smiled at both of them and said "Have fun" before she wheeled Ron away.</p><p> </p><p>Ginny danced with the youngest of her brothers for a couple of songs, just enjoying the atmosphere and the music before she decided to go and mingle. She was single after all and that was what single people were meant to do, wasn't it? Flirting and dancing with people would mean that she wouldn't be watching Luna out of the corner of her eye while continuing to wish that the girl was dancing with her instead. It was a selfish thought, especially when she had been the one to set up Luna on a date in the first place, but they'd been best friends for over a decade now and Luna had never once given Ginny the impression that she even slightly reciprocated Ginny's feelings. Ginny knew that she had to just let go, but that was easier said than done.</p><p> </p><p>**</p><p> </p><p>Percy was glad to get out for some fresh air when there was a reprieve in the music, not because he wasn't enjoying himself or getting to know his date but because he wasn't enjoying this date as much as he'd thought he would. When Percy had first asked Ron to set him up, he had hoped that it would serve to distract him, to stop him from thinking about his most annoying co-worker, but he had been very wrong.</p><p> </p><p>All Percy had been able to do since he had been introduced to the beautiful blonde was compare her to the blond man who would be waiting for him on Monday morning with a cup of coffee in his hand and a smirk on his face. He'd ask what Percy got up to at the weekend, the way he always did, and while Percy was looking forward to being able to tell Draco Malfoy that he had not only been on a date, but attended a dance, a part of him was actually sad that it wasn't Draco that he had been dancing with.</p><p> </p><p>If Percy had been able to grab himself by the shoulders and give himself a firm shake then he would have done. He didn't know how to snap himself out of this, the pining after a man that he could never have for so many different reasons. He took a breath as he realised that maybe the only way to get over Malfoy was to tell someone about it.</p><p> </p><p>That was perhaps why he ended up answering Ron's "how's it going with your date then?" with "damnit, Ronald. I'm gay."</p><p> </p><p>Ron stared at him for a long time, his eyes wide underneath his mask in a way that would have been comical had the situation not been what it was. Percy had never said those words to anyone before and in fact he had never thought he would ever say them to anyone, but a small part of him was glad that he had finally come clean.</p><p> </p><p>"Well. That would have been helpful to know when you asked me to set you up." Ron eventually said, his voice soft and without judgement.</p><p> </p><p>Percy still decided not to tell Ron just who his crush was on. Ron had never been Malfoy's biggest fan and Percy figured that piece of information might just be enough to blow his mind.</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah, sorry about that. I'm having fun regardless." He said quietly, giving Ron a small smile before glancing over his shoulder at hall. "It's almost midnight though, right?" He asked. He sort of wanted to bail on the ball, but he didn't. He couldn't do that to his date now, sheleast deserved an explanation as to why he wasn't totally into her.</p><p> </p><p>The pair of them headed back into the hall, unaware that a blonde man in a a dark green mask and set of matching dress robes had been watching them.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So excited to watch this story grow!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Luna. Loony Luna Lovegood. Even if Percy was into women, he doubted that she would even remotely be his type, except for the fact that she was blonde. He had a thing for blonds, but blond men. He tried not to look too disappointed as he gave the girl a smile now that both of their masks had been removed.</p><p>The clock had struck midnight mere moments before and it had honestly felt as though Percy had stepped through some sort of portal. He knew that that was probably the intention of the organisers of this ball, but it made him feel all kinds of weird, especially as he stood there unsure what he should or even could possibly say to the girl who always had her head in the clouds.</p><p>Fortunately she seemed to take the hint and spoke first. "I didn't expect to be on a date with a Weasley."</p><p>This made him laugh. Whenever someone was set up on a blind date, there was always a good chance that they were being set up on with a Weasley as there were just that many of them.</p><p>"You didn't see my red hair and put two and two together when my sister set us up?" Percy asked, an eyebrow raised slightly. "I kinda need to come clean about something before this goes any further, before you think that this could be anythin-"</p><p>"Don't worry, you don't need to say it." Luna cut him off with a kind smile and a polite pat on the arm. "You don't owe me anything. But thank you for an enjoyable evening."</p><p>Percy blinked a couple of times, wondering if he should be concerned that the girl who supposedly never knew what was going on in the real world knew that he wasn't into girls and had noticed this fact before any of his family members had. It was a strange sensation and an even stranger situation to be in.</p><p>"Thank you." He said softly, his eyes flickering sideways to where he was sure that he had heard someone clear their throat but when he looked properly he couldn't actually see anyone. He really hoped that no-one had overheard their conversation though. So far he had only come out to Ron and he hated how fast gossip about those who were close to Harry travelled. He wasn't one of Harry's inner circle so he doubted that his life would be all that interesting to the gossip-mongers, but he still didn't want to risk it getting back to his parents. He wanted to tell them when he was ready, and that's not something that he was yet.</p><p>"I'm going to go and find your sister, if that alright?" Luna asked as he turned his focus back to the blonde girl who now looked as though she wanted to be anywhere but stuck there with him - though that part was probably all in his head considering that he knew that Luna was far too polite and far too kind to even think such a thing and if he wanted to ask that she stay with him then she probably would.</p><p>"Of course." He said, forcing a smile into his features. "Please. Go and enjoy yourself." He was already scanning the room for a sign of his brother so that he could say goodbye to Ron but he couldn't see hide nor hair of him. He heard Luna wish him well before he headed back out into the courtyard, wondering if his youngest brother was hiding out there - or more likely shacked up in a corner kissing his girlfriend.</p><p>He was so busy looking that he didn't actually see who he crashed into and caused him to go stumbling backwards a couple of steps. "Sorry, sorry." He apologised as he managed to figure out what had just happened and dusted himself off before he managed to even focus in the darkened grounds to see who he had just bumped into.</p><p>And then he saw those grey eyes that he didn't expect to see until Monday morning staring straight at him.</p><p>"So this is the ball you mentioned?" Draco asked as he straightened himself up, pulling himself to his full height - though he was still a couple of inches shorter than Percy was. "I suppose I should have guessed. Where's your date?"</p><p>"Uh. We…" Percy began but he ended up trailing off. He didn't quite know how to tell the man he was completely smitten with that his date had gone to find her friend, that it has gone that badly, even if it hadn't completely imploded in the way he had thought it might. He was remembering now that he was faced with Draco just why he had been so desperate to find a date in the first place, even if it hadn't taken him all that long to remember that he was far too gay to be set up with a woman.</p><p>"Ah." Draco said, though he didn't sound at all unkind about it. "I'm sorry." There was a heavy pause in which Percy tried to think of a way that he could possibly excuse himself before the blond continued. "What was wrong with her?"</p><p>Percy bit back the comment about how Luna hadn't been him, but he fortunately hadn't had enough alcohol to accidentally let that slip. "Nothing. She was lovely." He decided not to mention that his date had been the school weirdo. Even though they were currently at Hogwarts, the past was still the past after all and if anyone knew anything about changing their stripes then it was Draco Malfoy and Percy Weasley. "We just weren't compatible."</p><p>Draco gave a small nod, as if that made perfect sense to him. "I see." He said as he rubbed his arms. "Care to come inside? It's freezing out here."</p><p>Percy let out a hum as he glanced around the courtyard to look for his brother one last time. "Sure, yeah." He wasn't in as much of a hurry to leave now that he was in Draco's company, that was for sure, even if he wasn't going to admit that, probably ever.</p><p>He followed Draco into the Great Hall and he was instantly warmed up as they stepped inside. Most of the crowd had started to dissipate now, which Percy supposed made sense considering that the mystery was over and the hour that it was.</p><p>"So what about you?" Percy asked once the pair of them had grabbed a drink from the punch bowl. "Where's your date? Or did you come here stag?"</p><p>"He had to leave, work stuff. I don't pretend to understand." Percy had to admire the way that Draco was able to admit that his date was a man in such an easy, flippant way, even if it made him feel more than a little jealous. He was jealous, not only of how easy Draco was making it seem to just be himself, but he was also jealous of whoever it was that Draco had asked to the ball, though he couldn't help being glad that Draco's date had ditched him and allowed for them to end up in this situation where the two of them were alone together.</p><p>"I'm sorry to hear that." Percy managed to say as he realised that he should probably at least give the man the same politeness out of courtesy. They weren't the closest of friends, though Percy was hoping that eventually he would be able to change that, even if the whole Draco having had a date to this ball threw a spanner in the works. He didn't know whether he should ask how serious they were or if he should just leave the subject alone, so of course that resulted in him falling into an awkward silence and simply taking a sip of his punch instead.</p><p>Draco let out a low hum and Percy watched as his eyes flickered around the room. "I wouldn't have thought that this sort of place would be enjoyable for you?"</p><p>Percy gave a sort of shrug. "It's not really but I was asked to go on a blind date and this was the chosen venue." He decided to keep the fact that he had asked for the blind date to himself. "I wouldn't have thought it was yours either?"</p><p>"That's where you're wrong." Draco told him as he turned to face him and gave him a smile. "I practically grew up on balls. Before…. Well, before everything we had them quite often."</p><p>Percy blinked a couple of times as he took that in. He hadn't ever really thought about what it wouldn't like to grow up in pureblood society. His family had been exiled before he had had the chance to experience any of it, which he had always seen as a blessing, and now even more so. He couldn't imagine either his mother or his father in such a place.</p><p>"You know, you're honestly an enigma." He told Draco with a smile of his own. He had been working with Draco for two years now and while things had gotten off to a rocky start, he found that each new piece of information he learned about the blond, he grew more endeared to him.</p><p>"I prefer to call myself a man of mystery." He said with a chuckle. He then coced his head toward the band. "Would you like a dance before they stop playing for the night?"</p><p>Percy felt his heart skip a beat but he tried to keep anything that might give that away from his features as he gave a controlled nod. "It would be a shame to waste the music, after all." He said, though he allowed himself to smile.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>